All Durango School District 9-R schools were in a “modified lockout” for nearly two hours Wednesday after the district received a “nonspecific threat,” said spokeswoman Julie Popp.
The lockout ran from 10:15 a.m. to about 12:05 p.m.
Outdoor activities were canceled and entrances were guarded to allow only students and parents to enter, Popp said. Otherwise, school activities went on as usual.
“This is not an unusual practice in working with local law enforcement, who may advise schools to limit access to the schools when there is an active investigation into a potential threat in the area,” the district said in an email sent to parents.
The threat came through Axis Health Systems, a mental health center in Durango, said Durango Police Department Lt. Ray Shupe. Police were trying to validate the threat and identify who made it, he said. The schools were put in lockout as a precautionary measure.
Law enforcement ultimately determined the threat was unsubstantiated.
Popp said schools are basically in a “modified lockout” at all times, meaning they limit and closely monitor who is allowed to enter schools.
shane@durangoherald.com
